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Montana ffiumter iianufafluma ABBmmtxm
OFriCE OF THE SECRETARY
KALI SPELL, MONTANA
June 27th, 1917.
Gov. S. V. Stewart, Helena, Mont.
My dear Sir:-
Your valued conimunicaticn of the 25th received, and you have relieved my mind entirely for I was a little disturbed f/hen it was reported to me by "Billy Blacky William Black that the tvra sheriffs and t?>ro prosecuting attorneys of Flathead and Lincoln Counties were much peeved and were starting an in¬ vestigation to ascertain who had.made unreliable reports to you in regard to conditions in this section. 01 course, I was not worried over the"reporting feature" i'or everything that was reported was the absolute truth and was reported much mild¬ er than actual conditions, and it was not a "one man affair" either for the business men in general here were more or less alarmed over conditions and felt that an emergency existed and that you should know abait it, and although the County and City officials were willing enough, in fact, very anxious to do their duty, that is, ready to carry out their official dut¬ ies, they seemed to feel that actual crim.es had to be committed before any arrests could be made, and I agree with them that they are alysolutely right and yet some of us felt that we could consistently prepare to ward off any impending danger, and if the County, and City officials required some criminal act before they could step in, and as the business man felt that some barrier shoudd be put up in advance, it seemed that there was ^only one alternative, this being the troops, and although I have no knowledge whatever of how the troops were ordered to our section, I think I can voice the sentiments of the vast major- , ity when I say the troops have saved the situation, and I am not in the least casting any reflection on the present County and City force. Every day I hear business men make the remark that their minds are m^uch relieved when they know that the troops are in our vicinity.
The report froin Troy, viz: that a "reign of terror" was in sight, and a later report th.at this was unreliable infoi-m&tion, I know nothing about, except ?/hat I read in the newspapers, I see by a late copy of the Libby Ti les that they are making quite a sen¬ sational story out of this, fehat some one in that section was rankly exceeding their authority when they allowed said unrelia¬ ble reports to be circulated, and the Mayor of Troy especially was-very much disturbed and there camiout an announcement a few days ago that the parties who circulated the information in regard to conditions there should be dealt with, and at least curbed, however, this section is a little beyond our imjnediate vicinitj', I thought I would only mention it in passing.

Dunne, Willis Francis, 1887-1953.; Templeton, Walter.; Rohn, Oscar.; Von Waldru, Eberhardt.; Montana Council of Defense.; United States. Council of National Defense.; Civil defense--Montana.; County agricultural agents--Montana.; German Americans--Montana.; Germans--Montana.; Patriotism--Montana.; Sedition--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--Censorship--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--Enemy aliens--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--War work--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--Montana--Public opinion.; Censorship--Montana.; Beaverhead County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Big Horn County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Blaine County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Broadwater County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Carbon County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Carter County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Cascade County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Chouteau County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Custer County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Dawson County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Deer Lodge County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Fallon County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Fergus County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Flathead County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Gallatin County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Granite County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Hill County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Jefferson County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Lewis and Clark County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Lincoln County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Madison County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Meagher County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Mineral County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Missoula County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Musselshell County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Park County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Powder County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Prairie County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Ravalli County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Richland County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Rosebud County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Sanders County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Sheridan County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Silver Bow County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Stillwater County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Sweet Grass County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Teton County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Toole County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Valley County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Wheatland County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Wibaux County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Yellowstone County (Mont.)--Politics and government.

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The Montana Council of Defense was established during World War I to coordinate county war efforts. It also investigated cases of alleged disloyal activities. Records (1916-1921) include minutes, correspondence, subject files, testimony and exhibits for hearings and special investigations, membership lists, and correspondence of various county councils of defense.

Dunne, Willis Francis, 1887-1953.; Templeton, Walter.; Rohn, Oscar.; Von Waldru, Eberhardt.; Montana Council of Defense.; United States. Council of National Defense.; Civil defense--Montana.; County agricultural agents--Montana.; German Americans--Montana.; Germans--Montana.; Patriotism--Montana.; Sedition--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--Censorship--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--Enemy aliens--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--War work--Montana.; World War, 1914-1918--Montana--Public opinion.; Censorship--Montana.; Beaverhead County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Big Horn County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Blaine County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Broadwater County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Carbon County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Carter County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Cascade County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Chouteau County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Custer County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Dawson County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Deer Lodge County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Fallon County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Fergus County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Flathead County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Gallatin County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Granite County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Hill County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Jefferson County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Lewis and Clark County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Lincoln County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Madison County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Meagher County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Mineral County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Missoula County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Musselshell County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Park County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Powder County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Prairie County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Ravalli County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Richland County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Rosebud County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Sanders County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Sheridan County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Silver Bow County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Stillwater County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Sweet Grass County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Teton County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Toole County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Valley County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Wheatland County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Wibaux County (Mont.)--Politics and government.; Yellowstone County (Mont.)--Politics and government.

Contributing Institution

Montana Historical Society Research Center

Physical Collection

Record Series 19 Box 2 Folder 15

Physical Dimensions

6 linear ft.

Description-Abstract

The Montana Council of Defense was established during World War I to coordinate county war efforts. It also investigated cases of alleged disloyal activities. Records (1916-1921) include minutes, correspondence, subject files, testimony and exhibits for hearings and special investigations, membership lists, and correspondence of various county councils of defense.

Montana ffiumter iianufafluma ABBmmtxm
OFriCE OF THE SECRETARY
KALI SPELL, MONTANA
June 27th, 1917.
Gov. S. V. Stewart, Helena, Mont.
My dear Sir:-
Your valued conimunicaticn of the 25th received, and you have relieved my mind entirely for I was a little disturbed f/hen it was reported to me by "Billy Blacky William Black that the tvra sheriffs and t?>ro prosecuting attorneys of Flathead and Lincoln Counties were much peeved and were starting an in¬ vestigation to ascertain who had.made unreliable reports to you in regard to conditions in this section. 01 course, I was not worried over the"reporting feature" i'or everything that was reported was the absolute truth and was reported much mild¬ er than actual conditions, and it was not a "one man affair" either for the business men in general here were more or less alarmed over conditions and felt that an emergency existed and that you should know abait it, and although the County and City officials were willing enough, in fact, very anxious to do their duty, that is, ready to carry out their official dut¬ ies, they seemed to feel that actual crim.es had to be committed before any arrests could be made, and I agree with them that they are alysolutely right and yet some of us felt that we could consistently prepare to ward off any impending danger, and if the County, and City officials required some criminal act before they could step in, and as the business man felt that some barrier shoudd be put up in advance, it seemed that there was ^only one alternative, this being the troops, and although I have no knowledge whatever of how the troops were ordered to our section, I think I can voice the sentiments of the vast major- , ity when I say the troops have saved the situation, and I am not in the least casting any reflection on the present County and City force. Every day I hear business men make the remark that their minds are m^uch relieved when they know that the troops are in our vicinity.
The report froin Troy, viz: that a "reign of terror" was in sight, and a later report th.at this was unreliable infoi-m&tion, I know nothing about, except ?/hat I read in the newspapers, I see by a late copy of the Libby Ti les that they are making quite a sen¬ sational story out of this, fehat some one in that section was rankly exceeding their authority when they allowed said unrelia¬ ble reports to be circulated, and the Mayor of Troy especially was-very much disturbed and there camiout an announcement a few days ago that the parties who circulated the information in regard to conditions there should be dealt with, and at least curbed, however, this section is a little beyond our imjnediate vicinitj', I thought I would only mention it in passing.